Michigan Ranked Last in U.S. For Ethics and Transparency Laws

In a national study set to be released today, Michigan ranks last among all the 50 states in ethics and transparency laws and safeguards, the Detroit Free Press reports.

In total, eleven states received failing "F" grades in the "State Integrity Investigation" performed by Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity, two nonprofit organizations that promote government transparency and ethics.

A significant factor in Michigan’s 2015 ranking is its lack of effective disclosure rules for officials in nearly all facets of state government. Conflicts of interest and potential public corruption remain buried in an honor system with no honor. Thanks to loopholes created by the legislature, big spenders representing special interests can dramatically influence an election without leaving a trace."

Nicholas Kusnetz, the project director, told the Detroit Free Press that that ranking does not mean that Michigan is the most corrupt state. That's not what the study was measuring, Kusnet says, but rather "the study looks at what laws are in place and how those laws are implemented, in order to assess the systems intended to prevent corruption and expose it when it does occur."